


Serial Stories

by Funakounasoul



Category: Azumanga Daioh
Genre: Drama, Eventual Happy Ending, F/F, Light Angst, Romance, Yuri
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-30
Updated: 2021-03-14
Packaged: 2021-03-16 12:07:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 5,925
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29082123
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Funakounasoul/pseuds/Funakounasoul
Summary: A rainy day. A sudden realization. Confusing feelings that soon pour out like a sudden, summer storm. "I love you so much that I hate you." Loosely inspired by the song "Serial Stories" by Pizzicato Five.
Relationships: Mizuhara "Yomi" Koyomi/Takino Tomo
Comments: 9
Kudos: 6





	1. The Rain Falls...

**Author's Note:**

> So, I decided to try doing a multi-chaptered fic. With this being inspired by a song, though, I hope that it will not be as awkwardly wordy as my first-ever multi-chaptered fic, "Flutter" (which can be found on FFnet - it's OLD). The song will be linked and lyrics provided at the end of the story for that extra Soundtrack-y feel. Other than that, enjoy!

* * *

The steady stream of rain pounded against the window. The sky had been threatening to let off a downpour all morning, the sky overcast and gray. Thankfully, there was barely a gust of wind, and, coupled with the steady rain, today’s storm not heavy at all. Despite that, the bleakness set the tone for the day. Dull. Drab. Moody.

Within the confines of her bedroom, Yomi was reading a book. For once, she had time to enjoy a leisurely read. Homework was caught up, and the weekend was still early. Even the sound of the rain was peaceful at first. It was a pleasant background noise. Yomi took a deep sigh. It was nice not having any distractions for once. No Tomo hanging out in her room, no Tomo chiding about her latest dieting habits, no Tomo running around and causing her troubles.

_Goodness, was it boring without her here._

Yomi snapped out of her reverie, surprised at the sudden thoughts coming from her head. Her? _Bored?_ No, that simply was not the case. It was absurd to think that, if Tomo was nowhere in sight, it made for a dull day. This was the sort of day she _dreamed_ of having. Sometimes, it felt like she was attached to the girl’s hip with how often they were together. She was always such a pest, a bother, and her stupidity was so enraging. Most of their class could barely stand Tomo…which was why she felt it necessary to keep the girl in check. Sometimes she just could not help but worry about her…

_There it was again!_

Setting aside the book, Yomi got up from her seat and opened her window. It was still raining, still pouring. The gentle murmur of raindrops hitting her window was almost soothing. She scanned the neighborhood – not a soul in sight. Figures. It was best to just be indoors right now, after all. As she stared outside, however, her heart grew heavy with loneliness. Maybe she wanted the company after all. Even her eyes temporarily played a trick on her as she could have sworn she saw Tomo making her way toward her house, umbrella at hand, laughing as she approached...only to dissipate into the downpour. It almost made her heart ache. Then, something struck within, almost like a shock to her mind. It finally made sense to her.

“I love her…”

A sudden squeal came from her window as she dragged her hand downward during her realization. Not even that, however, shook her away from this stunning conclusion. Her head swirled with a whirlpool of thoughts and memories, now aware of the feelings that had been hiding from her all this time. Well, not _hidden_ , per se, but she had certainly made an effort to tuck these feelings in deep within her core.  
  
She really did care for her too much.

She really did love her despite her flaws.

This love she harbored was so deep, in fact, that she _hated_ it.

It made no sense. Tomo was the most obnoxious, the laziest, the _rudest_ person to ever come into Yomi’s life. In the past, people have asked her how she could tolerate Tomo as long as she had. Her usual response was that the girl was always like that. Was that really the only response she could give? It was almost like avoiding the question. Deep down, she cared about Tomo.

They did spend many an afternoon hanging out, eating snacks, chatting about whatever came to mind. Teasing, playing, laughing… Those were always fun times. Yomi could not help but smile a little. Then there were the times Tomo came over, and they simply shared company. Sometimes they had their quarrels, but it was…nice. They had their fights, but the company was always, well, _nice._ There really was no other way to put it.

And _that_ was what bothered Yomi so much. She was a girl of reason. If there was no reason, then it needed one. Her mind, no, her heart was not giving her a coherent reason beyond “it just _is_.” She slumped back into her chair, a headache forming. Yomi groaned loudly as she laid her head on her desk. “That girl,” she muttered into her arms, “why does she make me feel so…so…!”

Outside, the rain continued on quietly, the sky still overcast. This mild storm – without Tomo – set the tone for the rest of the day. Dull. Drab. Moody.


	2. Reason Versus Pleasure

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The end of summer vacation is approaching. Yomi has a few fights between her mind and her heart.

* * *

Summer vacation was a time for relaxation and fun. The one thing Yomi, and her friends, looked forward to was staying a weekend over at Chiyo's summer home. This year was no exception, with the biggest surprise coming from Kurosawa-sensei and her drunken speech about adulthood. That was certainly an awakening for the girls...especially for Yomi. She could not help but blush a deep shade of crimson upon replaying that night in her head. That was certainly an experience she would not forget any time soon.  
  
She sat by her desk, on this particularly sunny day, with nothing to do and still a week's worth of vacation left until school resumed. Her radio quietly relayed the latest teen-oriented, summer break special series. She was unsure of today’s theme, but it was good background noise, regardless. Overall, it had been a quiet day at home. Somehow, though, this was troubling Yomi. In fact, it almost felt like that one, rainy day...  
  
With a day as quiet as today, it was very easy to get lost in one's thoughts…even if those thoughts were rather stressful. Indeed, Yomi was beginning to get a headache. She was starting to miss Tomo. Again. This was really starting to get on her nerves. Not to mention, Kurosawa-sensei’s ramblings had a strange effect on her mind as well. There was a little corner in the back of Yomi’s mind that wondered how some of those things could be done with…

_Woah, woah! No, Yomi, do_ not _think like that! Do not think of_ her _like that!_

It was some time shortly before the group vacation when she finally accepted that she _may_ have feelings for the constant nuisance known as Tomo. However, the trip itself was a reminder of just how stupid that girl was, with how often she had to look out for her and how often she had to yell at her. Yomi found herself once again despising the girl, and she was quite glad for this quiet day at home, thank you very much. Tomo was a girl who was lazy and advantageous. She used Yomi to get ahead in life. At least, it felt that way.

Deep down, though, her heart ached. It yearned to spend some time with Tomo, no matter how much she pushed those thoughts aside. Besides the vacation, Yomi had not seen the girl all summer. She was apparently busy during the first half, spending time with her family – she did not fault Tomo at the slightest. It did, however, leave Yomi with a strange sense of loneliness. There was only one week left to summer break. Soon, school would begin, and it would be the usual antics…except now, Yomi would have to deal with her newfound feelings.

The thought of going through the rest of the school year – and even the next year, their final year – fighting off her strange, new feelings for her childhood “friend” was truly upsetting poor Yomi.

“Ugh…This is pissing me off!” Glasses were swiftly removed and temples were firmly rubbed in hopes of some relief. “Why…Why do I feel like seeing her? I saw her last weekend! Isn’t that good enough?!”

The radio, droning on, caught Yomi’s attention. Something needed to, at least. What piqued her interest, though, was what they were rambling about that particular moment.

“The weather’s been amazing this summer, hasn’t it Mi-kun?”

“Oh, absolutely, Sacchin! I’ve seen all sorts of guys and gals chilling all around town this summer! The park, hanging out by the bridges and the shops, the weather’s just been perfect!”

“Yeah, yeah! I’ve taken to doing a walk every evening. It’s so relaxing!”

This comment caught Yomi’s attention. “Yeah...a walk,” she huffed in relief. “That’s exactly what I need.”

* * *

The air was cool and crisp, offsetting the otherwise hot, summer day. Yomi took a deep breath, smiling gently. While walking toward no particular destination, her feet were idly leading her into the shopping district. The streets were crowded and bustling, but everyone was paying attention to their own activities, and the noise was a welcome change from the awkward silence back home. This truly was what she needed.

That corner store… The one with the half-lit window sign…

_That corner store was the same one where she and Tomo bought some matching outfits a few summers ago. That was also the same summer where Tomo had told her she was aiming for the same high school. Yomi had shown her exasperation. She knew the girl was too lazy to ever reach something as prestigious as the school she was aiming for. Deep down, however, her thoughts were more negative. Because Tomo was always getting such low grades, there really was no way she could ever enter that high school. The thought of being separated from Tomo made Yomi’s heart ache with sadness._

_The shorter, dark-haired girl looked at Yomi with curiosity. “Yomi...are you okay?”_

“ _Eh?”_

“ _You just kinda spaced out there…” A smirk formed on Tomo’s face. “What, are you already imagining how amazing I’ll look in this outfit?” A blush formed on the younger Yomi’s face. “AH! You were! You were!”_

“I-I WAS NOT!”

The small crowed that was within Yomi’s shouting vicinity were looking at her in various degrees of concern and confusion. Apparently, she had gotten so deep into her memories that they began to blend in with her regular thoughts. Embarrassed, the girl briskly made her way out of the crowd, destination uncertain.

Eventually, Yomi found herself inside a phonebooth. The sounds of the city were muffled here. Again, that strange, awkward tranquility settled in. What was originally an activity meant to ease the poor girl has only managed to make things worse. That ache in her heart grew again. That selfish pounding, crying out attention, was an infuriating feeling at times. A time machine would be handy to have right about now. She would take it back to that rainy day, smack herself upside the head, and make herself get up and do something – anything – to avoid ever having that self-discovery happen.

“I hate this so much.” Yomi let out a long, exasperated sigh. The payphone beside her looked awfully tempting… She was quickly losing the battle against her feelings. Besides, would it hurt to just give that obnoxious girl a call?

Too bad Yomi didn’t actively go out with much. Her original plan was to just take a walk. Her calling card was back home, but at least she had some money hiding in her pocket. She counted the coins carefully, smiling to herself when she found the right change. As she dialed Tomo’s cell number, her heart began to pound. It wanted her to take a chance – any chance. What kind of chance, though? As the phone continued to ring, her thoughts became a jumbled mess. What was she going to say now?

“Yeah? Who’s this?” There it was, that cheerful voice that felt like sun rays in a vocalized form…

_Wait, what? No, Yomi, focus!_ “Ahem, ah, Tomo?”

“Ah! It’s you! Hey, how’s it going, Yomi?”

“N-not much.” Yomi, not wanting to lose herself, began to idly wind her finger around the phone cord as a distraction. “I was just, um…out and, um... Say…”

“Pfft! You sure sound weird. You’re not hiding something from me, are you?”

That was a powerful sting. But instead of succumbing, Yomi managed to regain her posture. It _was_ Tomo, after all. She says such stupid things. “Of course not,” she replied in her typical, dry tone. “All I wanted to do was…” There was a brief pause between the two. Even Tomo waited patiently, not once butting in with a tease. Internally, Yomi’s mind was losing yet again to her heart, and, after the day she has had already, she was too tired to fight it.

“I just wanted to know if you were busy tonight?”

“Hmm… Nah, not at all!” Tomo laughed. “You picked the perfect day for it, Yomi! There’s this new movie out that I’ve been dying to see!”

“Ah, r-really?”

“Yeah! Of course...you’ll pay for it, right?”

Yomi rolled her eyes. Again, she answered without much thought. “Fine, fine. But meet me at the usual spot, okay? And don’t take so long. I’m not waiting all night for your stupid ass.”

“Awesome! Yomi’s the best!” Suddenly, all Yomi could hear was a dial tone. She hung up in her excitement. Figures.

Placing the handset back onto its resting position, Yomi had time to recollect herself before exiting the booth. She let out a long, tired sigh. She had succumbed to her feelings again. Great.

Now to just head over to their usual meeting spot at the shopping district. She had time to get there, time that would probably be spent thinking more of these damning thoughts. Might as well give into it, right? She would have time to push them aside before Tomo arrived.

She should probably get used to doing that from now on.


	3. Daydreams

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Yomi waits for Tomo to arrive and, once again, gets lost in her thoughts and emotions.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I will personally be resuming some of my webcomic work after this, so it may be a bit before the next chapter...BUT! Who knows? Maybe I'll get a brainwave in the middle of my project. Either way, I plan to finish this one soon. After all, the song has an end point.

* * *

When one spends as much time together, growing together, as Tomo and Yomi, it was very difficult to pinpoint when certain feelings start to flourish. It was hard to recall, but, at some point, Yomi began to grow impatient and irritated with her friend. She knew why – Tomo was still quite childish and they were halfway done with high school by now and has shown no signs of maturing. That rambunctious girl was always yelling about something immature if she was not teasing and taunting Yomi or one of their friends. She really needed to get her act together. She would not be safe within the boundaries of school and youthfulness forever. When did it all start, though? Everything had a tendency to blur together.

Likewise, the moment Yomi began to have a more intimate attachment to Tomo seemed to have no real beginning. That bothered her. It must have been a slow and gradual escalation. For every obnoxious memory, there were a few quiet moments. These were moments they shared together. Tomo was never exactly like a calm kitten, but there was just something endearing about the girl during those moments. It could be the walk to and from school, a shopping trip, or even just hanging out at Yomi’s (never Tomo’s, though – her room was notoriously a mess and her dog could get just as hyper as she would). Her smile was like a million rays of sunshine...her “intimate” laugh, well, Yomi could not help but feel a little warm inside hearing it. Sometimes she just wanted to walk up to Tomo, hold onto her shoulders every so gently, reach in and…

“HEY! YOMI~!”

Yomi snapped out of her…reverie? Was she really out of it for that long? No matter, for it was none other than Tomo herself looking down at her seat in their usual meeting spot. It was a crowded place – perfect for blending in, even with Tomo around. It was also a perfect place to let your thoughts wander, as they did with Yomi. The last thing she remembered was finding a shady spot to wait, and then her thoughts pushed themselves right through.

“Hello~ Earth to Yomi. You there?”

“Ah…” Yomi shook her head. “Of course I am.”

“Sure didn’t look like it for a bit there.” Poking and prodding, it was time for the teasing. “What were you thinking about, huh? Was it the movie we’re gonna watch? Well, it’s – Oh! But what if it was…food? Ah! You were thinking about food again!”

Why did she love this girl again?

“J-just nothing, okay!” Yomi bolted out of her seat. “Can’t one just…enjoy the weather or something? Geez, you’re such a jerk, Tomo.”

Despite her sudden leave, it was easy for Tomo to catch up to the flustered girl. “But that’s why you like me!” she replied in a sing-song tone.

“ _But that’s why you like me!”_

Those words nearly froze Yomi in her place. _Oh, this pain,_ she thought. _This pain is rising up again._

* * *

“ _Yomi! Yomi! Check this out! I actually made it! I made it in!”_

“ _Wh...what?”_

“ _Read it and weep. I. Made. It. You’re stuck with me for high school, too!”_

“ _Wha…”_ _Indeed, i_ _t was true. In her hands was Tomo’s very own acceptance letter. The same letterhead that was on the one she received in the mail was featured prominently and contained the same signature from its principal._ _As Tomo_ _began to_ _gloat and cheer, Yomi simply stood, dumbfounded._

_Something stirred within her, though. The sight of the letter sparked an intense feeling within. It felt like anxiety for a moment, but also…hope?_ _Happiness? Relief, even? Even as the other girl continued her celebration, this warm feeling washed through Yomi, causing her to turn away long enough to produce a small smile._

_That feeling had to be pushed aside, however. Yomi’s job was to keep Tomo in line. While she had to admit, she was surprised at the outcome, she had to remind the girl that this was the next step in life. High school students have a more mature outlook on life. They are close to adulthood. They had to prepare for that. Thus, the girl pushed these feelings aside…or, at least, she tried._

* * *

That was the original moment she realized she had a special connection with Tomo. It would not be until that rainy day only a few days ago she realized it was love. At last, Yomi had a specific moment in time when these feelings developed. It made so much sense. The jump from grade school to junior high, they lived close enough to enter the same place. That familiarity was there for just a while longer. The jump from junior high and senior high, though, that was less certain. Yomi was not going to lower her intellect for Tomo’s sake. She wanted to be the best and she was going to strive for the best school, no matter what. It surprised her when Tomo tried to enter as well. There was just no way she would make it, with her lazy ways and copying Yomi’s homework all the time. She set herself up for doom.

Tomo went all out to prove her wrong. Whether that was out of spite or what, Yomi always had confusing feelings for it. As the days, weeks, and months rolled by after starting at this school, though, the confusion only grew. She would hate her so much, but then she would enjoy her company. Sure, she had other friends now. They were nice – much nicer than Tomo could be at times – but that intimate connection was not there.

_Sigh…_

“Hey, just because it’s a comedy doesn’t mean it’s gonna suck! Trust me, you’re gonna love it!”

Oh, right. She was walking to the movie theater with Tomo. She must have been on auto-pilot.

“Man, you’ve been really weird today, Yomi. Super quiet, too. More than usual, I mean. Some date _you_ are!”

Yomi jerked in response. _That girl, using such language so freely!_ Before she could respond accordingly, Tomo was already looking at her with slight concern etched on her face. It was almost upsetting to see.

"You sure you're okay?"

“I’m fine.”

“…You sure?”

Yomi’s back went stiff. “I’m. Fine." She responded tersely. "Now can we _please_ go watch that movie? Here!” Reaching into her pocket, Yomi thrust whatever money she had into Tomo’s hands, perhaps a little too forcibly. “Go buy the tickets, get some snacks. Whatever. Let’s just… _hang out._ ”

“R…right…”

A few moments later, they were entering the theater proper. Yomi was, again, quiet, tensely looking for the damned movie they were going to watch. Tomo watched her, concern and confusion taking over.

_What was up with Yomi today?_ Something was eating at the girl, Tomo could tell. Years of hanging out with her helped pick out those little moments that were just slightly out-of-character. She had a knack for it, even if her outward appearance said otherwise. Clearly the time to tease was done. How to approach her friend was always the difficult part.

Perhaps this movie is what they needed today.

The only way to find out was to go in, sit down, and watch.

Simple.

…Right?


	4. Distractions

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Time to go watch the movie. Say...what kind of movie is it, anyway?

* * *

The individual theater was still quiet. Besides one employee finishing the preparations for the next airing, it was just Yomi. She had picked a seat at the topmost row, right next to the stairs so she could make a quick exit, if she needed to. With the way the afternoon was going, though, she may very well have to take advantage of that. Tomo’s commentary was getting to her. The use of such words like “date” caused a pain to fill Yomi’s heart. She knew that girl was only talking like that to rile her up. It was Tomo’s thing to do. She was a pest, a bother, and there was no reason to have someone like _her_ as a lover, much less a friend.

Tomo finally arrived into the theater a few minutes later. The room was still fairly empty, though there were a handful of others finding seats now – still not very crowded. She had a few snacks in hand. Quite a few, Yomi noted. Her money would not have been able to cover everything Tomo had in hand. Maybe some small bags of popcorn, but that girl came in with two decently sized bags of them as well as two drinks, which she placed Yomi’s in her own cupholder.

“Tomo…”

The smaller girl fidgeted in her seat for a moment and chuckled. “Well…” she began, though the tone shifted to her usual, boisterous tone, “You were cheap! I mean, come on! It’s a date, right?” Yomi twitched. “And, man, you were really cheaping me out here. Nah, I had some cash with me.” She handed Yomi back her money, the sensation of her fingertips brushing against Yomi’s palm sent a quick shiver down the bespectacled girl’s back. “You can just treat me to an ice cream afterward, eh?”

It took a moment for Yomi to shake off the previous sensation. “…Fine. Whatever,” she replied tersely.

“Yomi, are you sure you’re okay?”

“I said I was fine!”

With that, Yomi focused entirely on the screen. The movie still had a few minutes to start, but part of her was intent on getting this over with as swiftly as possible. The other side, however, really wanted the night to last. She was grateful for the treat, she really was, and Tomo’s worry was actually quite touching. She longed to just tell her what was going on, but her hateful half had a tight hold on her actions right now.

_Was this how it was going to be from now on?_

In front of Yomi, her thoughts extended onto the projection screen, almost like a play. She imagined herself at school, glancing over at Tomo, sighing deeply and attempting to focus on her schoolwork but to no avail. The scene shifted, and now Yomi was graduating. Tomo was with her, but then their friends called to her. Yomi in this scenario clenched her chest – heart yearning to just have a moment with Tomo – but she never returned. As this Yomi bowed her head in defeat, another scene shifted into view. Yomi was now an adult and in the working world. She had the uniformed appearance of an OL. Fitting. Her life was stressful. As her coworkers paired up with others, getting married and having kids, she was left alone in the office. Alone. Tomo was not even in this particular scenario. Of course, she would have continued on her own path, happy and oblivious of Yomi’s existence after finally splitting up in graduation. The pain in Yomi’s heart was still there, though.

Then, the final scene played out. Yomi was now middle-aged and still quite single. She never did find anyone to at least take Tomo’s place in her heart. This was a reunion of grand proportions, however, and she finally met all her friends from high school. They looked so happy and healthy. Some of them even had children. When Tomo came into view, however, her heart stopped. She knew for many years that Tomo had taken her own path, but to actually see her happily married and showing off her generic-looking husband caused that Yomi to simply shut down and let the reunion play out around her…

As the movie began, Tomo took a moment to glance at Yomi before the room dimmed for the presentation. She was staring off into space and her expression was that of discomfort. Something was troubling her friend, but Yomi kept pushing the subject aside. This was one thing Tomo never did like about Yomi once she started “maturing.” She had no trouble telling Tomo the honest truth whenever she did something stupid, but when it came to Yomi herself, she would always keep things to herself until she had no choice but to act out on them. It honestly upset Tomo. She tried hard to break her out of it many times. Sure, her methods were unconventional, but it was the only way to get Yomi to react nowadays. She was always so stiff…so quiet. It was as if Yomi was forcing herself into some state of loneliness.

Who wanted to be lonely on _purpose?_ Tomo’s lips pursed in thought. Wasn’t she…

Whatever was playing on the screen seemed insignificant now. Tomo’s focus was entirely on Yomi. A sideways glance revealed her friend in such a stiff posture. She was staring straight at the screen, yet her eyes were so sad. Tomo normally enjoyed looking at those eyes when her friend was in a better mood. Usually they gave off this sense of gentleness to them, like the one thing that let her know Yomi was not truly abrasive. Today, that look was completely absent. She was sad. She had been like this since she first found her at their meeting spot. In fact, she was also staring off into space then, too. Even then, her eyes had that touch of sadness and loneliness.

  
It _really_ bothered Tomo to no end.

Having quite enough, she reached over and gently tapped her friend’s shoulder, whispering a quick “Yomi?”

No response.

“Hey…Yomi…”

The screen flickered for a moment. Someone a few rows in front of them made some sort of confused sound.

Yomi finally snapped out of her daze. She was too tired to even look annoyed. “What do you want,” she whispered back, emotionless.

The movie skipped a few frames for a few seconds. A few more movie-goers reacted in confusion and annoyance.

That reaction…was not one Tomo was expecting. She, too, ended up stunned for a few moments before replying again. “Hey, I just…”

“Hm.”

“I just, well…”

“Tomo, if you’re not going to say anything, then just shut up and watch the –”

“ _HEY! WHAT GIVES?!”_

The sudden voice broke the two girls out of their tense conversation, and they looked back toward the front of the room. The movie was breaking down, both video and audio skipping around before audibly slowing down to a complete halt. Darkness engulfed the room for a moment, then the lights turned back on, leading to the audience getting up in annoyance. Complaints filled the room, its occupants walking out as a voice on an intercom formally apologized to all.

The room quickly emptied out, and silence filled the space again. It was almost eerie, really. Not even a single staff member peeked in to double check the room, thinking everyone had truly left. Within the silence, however, were still two individuals seated at the topmost row – Tomo and Yomi. It was an uncomfortable, tense silence.

It was abnormal.


	5. Pocket Universe

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Something other than the movie breaks down. A shift in perspective is underway.

* * *

A strange, heavy feeling washed over the two girls once the theater emptied out and the lights were turned back on. Just a few feet away, one could still hear the sounds of disgruntled folks complaining to theater staff alongside regular moviegoers milling about. Despite that, with each passing second, the sound grew farther away, quieting down to a mere whisper as the room dimmed in focus around its two sole occupants. Time stretched as well, and what was probably only a minute or so gave way to the illusion of hours.

Tomo’s focus, originally elsewhere due to the discomforting silence, gave in and shifted toward Yomi. It was a sideways glance – something was nagging at her to be cautious. It surprised her, too, to be honest. Cautious? Why? Surely, the fluttering of her heart was just a spike caused by the caffeinated soda she had been drinking prior to the interruption. The cup in her armrest, however, had barely been touched. A sigh suddenly caught her attention. It was a sigh of frustration with a hint of sadness. Tomo finally turned her head just enough to get a good look at her friend.

She was crying. Yomi was doubled over with her hands covering her face, trying hard to suppress the tears but to no avail. What Tomo had heard was not a sigh but a moment of weakness in suppression. How long had she been crying? The movie could not had broken down that long! Then again, when Tomo first found Yomi earlier, she looked quite disheveled. Well, Tomo corrected herself, disheveled for Yomi. She was always one to look orderly and fashion-conscious, but today, she was wearing just a simple shirt with a light jacket and pants. She was wound up more than usual. Tense. Tomo had been trying to get an answer out of Yomi, but the girl refused. Now here she was, literally yanking Tomo’s heartstrings right out of her body from how devastatingly distressful she looked.

She wanted to do something. She wanted to cheer her up. Maybe a distraction would help. A teasing jab? No, not right now. Something in the back of Tomo’s mind was telling her today was not a day to pull off the usual. It was, however, poking at her, tugging toward some sort of response that was trapped below a lot of metaphorical junk. Her mind was never satisfied with singular tasks. Yomi was always a constant spark within, though. Despite everything else that usually happened, Yomi was always a thought she could fall back on, and right now, that spark was diminishing and needed some help.

_Help her._

_Comfort her._

_She_ needs _you._

_You need_ her _!_

Something struck within, almost like a shock to her mind. It finally made sense to her.

“I love her…”

A quiet murmur shook Yomi out of her previous state. She cursed at herself – great, she broke down in front of Tomo, and now she was going to hear nothing terrible teasing until she could break away from her. She was about to snap back with a “What the hell do you want?!” but she barely even said “What the hell” before Tomo reiterated her sudden statement…that earth-shattering statement.

“I love you.”

Yomi’s eyes widened, tears welling up anew. “What…?” There was just no way she heard that. Her daydreams, memories and hallucinations were finally getting to her. They just had to be.

Tomo could barely hear herself from the rush she was experiencing that very moment. Yomi’s response, however, was not quite was she was expecting. It was frustrating. She was going to cry again, and it was distressing. Autopilot switched on, her mind giving up the energy to think so her heart could just get its say in the whole matter.

For a moment, time and space completely ceased to be as Tomo lips connected with Yomi’s.

* * *

Neither girl remembered when they left the theater. Neither one remembered when they walked back to Yomi’s place – it was closer, after all (Was that really said at one point? Neither could recall). At some point, the afternoon's sunset became the next morning’s sunrise. Birds chirped melodically just outside Yomi’s window, waking the girl up before Tomo even dared open her own eyes. Tomo would usually wake up first, but not today.

It was a rather pleasant sight, really. Tomo could be quite adorable when her energy was spent, awake or asleep. Sleepiness added an extra touch of tranquility that brought a smile to Yomi’s face. Love was always something she felt for that damned girl. A caring love. A friendly love. Protective love would pop up there sometimes, too. This deeper, more intimate love, however, added a new “glow” to the sleepy wildcat’s features that was almost euphoric.

It was still hard to believe the feelings were mutual all along.

She really had nothing to worry about after all.

The idea that from here on out, the two were actually lovers gave Yomi an amazing buzz. She giggled to herself, the first time she had been so _happy_ in a long time. And yet…something new began to poke her mind, almost nagging at her.

Sure, this was an amazing feeling – to be in love and be loved in return – but would it always be like this from now on? Would Tomo be this kind and passionate soul as long as they were together? For some reason, the thought made Yomi feel a little confused. Could she see Tomo being like that, or would a change in behavior almost be too strange? It was a strange, sobering set of thoughts.

Yomi sighed, shoving the thoughts aside. It was too early for that. She looked out her window, glancing upward toward hazy summer sunrise. The warm tones shining down into her room set the mood for the rest of that day and for the rest of their summer break. Pleasant. Peaceful. Hopeful.

* * *

([Serial Stories – performed by Pizzicato Five](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pYlk9dOUdPo))

 _When I was watching_  
_The rain falling_  
_Through the window_  
_I suddenly_  
_Realized_  
_I love you_  
  
_I love you so much_  
_That I want to meet you_  
_I love you so much_  
_That I want to die_  
_I love you so much_  
_That I hate you_  
  
_After checking_  
_If I have_  
_Three ten-yen coins_  
_I called_  
_You_  
  
_I love you so much_  
_That I want to meet you_  
_I love you so much_  
_That I want to die_  
_I love you so much_  
_That I hate you_  
  
_If this_  
_Loving you thing_  
_Is going to last_  
_Till I get old_  
_Always this painful_  
_Everyday so painful_  
_I think I'll feel_  
_Lonely and sad_  
_There's nothing_  
_One can do about it_  
_But it's sad_  
  
_In the cinema_  
_The film gets stuck_  
_Halfway through_  
_And then suddenly_  
_You too_ _realize_  
_That you love_  
_Me_  
  
_I love you so much_  
_That I want to meet you_  
_I love you so much_  
_That I want to die_  
_I love you so much_  
_That I hate you_  
  
_If our love_  
_Our mutual love_  
_Is going to last_  
_Till we get old_  
_Always this peaceful_  
_Everyday so peaceful_  
_I think I'll maybe_  
_Be happy_  
_But_  
_Even so_  
_I feel a bit_  
_Uncertain_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ...This isn't the end. It may SEEM like the end, but there's just ONE more little thing to do. An epilogue, if you will. Stay tuned~


End file.
